We get an insight into Moiraine's thoughts during her ride and fight with the Shadowspawn.
Quote: "An Aes Sedai needs a Warder." (Lan)
Hastily, Moiraine tied her bags on Aldieb's back. She had seen Lan and Tomas filling the plates for Verin and Adeleas, so they would be occupied for a while. It would take a while until her Warder or sisters noticed her disappearance. Yet, she wanted to have as much distance between her and Tifan's Well as possible.
Once she was done, the Cairhien woman couldn't stop herself from throwing a glance back at the house. Lan. What would he do when he found out about her sudden disappearance? Would he curse her or be happy about being free of her and her cruel behavior? Surely, he wouldn't follow her – not after everything she had done to him.
No. Moiraine shook her head to shake off that fear. Her Warder's outburst was proof that he was done with her. Every human being had an inner tolerance line, and when that line got crossed, it was hard to get back on their good side. And the Aes Sedai had obviously crossed that line today.
Let's hope Alanna receives my letter soon and guides Lan back to the tower. I can't let him waste his life in the Blight just because I set him free.
Heavy-heartedly, Moiraine grabbed the reins, then pulled herself in the saddle. She shouldn't think about Lan. A clean cut was the only way to save him. Lan was an extraordinary swordsman and a talented Warder. It was cruel to hold him close to a broken Aes Sedai while there was a young woman waiting for him at the White Tower, being in need of an excellent Warder very soon. Hopefully, the man would understand that.
Aldieb danced nervously like she didn't like Moiraine's decision to leave in the middle of the night without anyone accompanying them but obeyed when the Aes Sedai gave her the sign to ride. Quickly, they left Tifan's Well behind them.
Everything went as planned. No one had noticed Moiraine's departure and no one followed her. Yet, the Cairhien woman couldn't stop looking back to the house, which had disappeared behind the trees and small hills. Her heart ached a little bit more with every step Aldieb took and begged her to turn around. It longed for Lan and didn't want to be separated from him.
Shut up! This is the only way to save Lan's life! Stop acting so selfish!
But her heart didn't listen. It kept hurting, and she continued to throw glances back to the house – hoping to see Lan coming after her, even when it was only a tiny part of her.
Sighing, Moiraine turned her head back on the road when suddenly, a shadow emerged out of nowhere. A Myrddraal! A shriek escaped the Aes Sedai's lips. How did it find her?
Its high-pitched scream rang in her ears, then it swung its poisonous blade at Aldieb. The mare reacted immediately by moving on to her hind legs to escape the weapon, which drew another shriek from Moiraine's throat.
Sadly, the woman of the Blue Ajah couldn't hold herself on Aldieb's back and fell to the ground. Cursing, she got back on her feet while the mare used the opportunity to run. Moiraine couldn't even be angry with her. No one liked to face a Fade, and she didn't have the One Power to protect herself. But there was no one there to help her. Lan, her sisters, their Warder – they all were enjoying their dinner. No, she was on her own.
Moiraine didn't give the Myrddraal the chance to attack her and followed Aldieb's example – she ran. But instead of running back to Tifan's Well, she took the quickest way across the field between the trees and hills until she reached a landing with big rocks that she could use for hiding. She couldn't lead the creature back to Lan and the others. What if it had Trollocks with it? They would surprise the unprepared women and men, and Moiraine couldn't live with herself should she be responsible for their deaths.
Panting, the Cairhien woman stopped and looked back. Where was the Fade? There was no way it had given up on following her. And she couldn't run faster than a Fade. Where was it?!
In the next second, the hooded figure appeared, strolling toward the rocks. Moiraine ducked and moved deeper between the rocks. What should she do now?
Quietly, she moved behind a big rock, then turned around to take in her surroundings. Her thoughts and heart ran wild. A Myrddraal. How should she fight against a Myrddraal without Saidar? Her chances of survival were close to zero.
The Aes Sedai's fingers found her dagger, and her grip tightened around the hilt immediately. It wasn't much, but better than nothing. Carefully, she pulled it out. What had Lan taught her? Moiraine's brain felt blank. The Malkieri had given her countless lectures on holding the dagger correctly so she wouldn't hurt herself and what she should do to inflict as much damage as possible.
Moiraine stepped around the rock when she caught a glimpse of the Myrddraal. Quickly, she moved out of sight. She had to be more careful! Fades were sneaky little bastards!
The blood rushed in the Aes Sedai's ears, and she felt like her heavy breathing should be heard in Tifan's Well. Was she truly playing hide and seek with a creature of the Dark One?
When the Cairhien woman didn't hear anything else, she dared to take another look, pressing her back against the hard surface. She wouldn't give the creature an easy target to kill.
But the Myrddraal wasn't there anymore! The place where she had seen him the last time was empty! Realization moved over Moiraine. If the monster could disappear without making a sound, how was she supposed to have a chance against it?
Slowly, the woman moved to the other side of the rock. If the Fade wasn't on her left side, maybe it had changed its position to...
Moiraine's heart jumped when her opponent emerged from the shadow of another rock. Light, that thing didn't walk to change positions! It used the shadows to move forward! No wonder she didn't hear the footsteps of that thing when it didn't use its feet!
What do you do now, Moiraine? You can't hide behind that rock forever. The Myrddraal knows you ran here. It is playing with you, but in the end, it will kill you.
But she also couldn't run. Should she start running, the Fade would kill her immediately. It was even possible that she would run straight into its blade. So, what else could she do? Her small dagger was no match against the poisonous weapon and the Fade's sharp teeth.
If you can't outrun your opponent, then trick him. Lan's voice echoed in Moiraine's ears. It had been one of his suggestions for Moiraine to win against a dangerous opponent without using Saidar. Let him believe he knows what your next move is, and then you attack. Surprise him so he can't counter back.
It pained to think about her Warder, but the Aes Sedai was thankful for his advice. Outsmart it. She could do that. She was smarter than that creature. And she wanted to be damned if she would go down without a fight.
The Fade jumps from rock to rock and hides in the shadows. All I need to do is to tell it where I am so it believes I'm getting nervous. It won't understand that it runs into my trap.
Deliberately, the Caihrien woman moved her foot over the ground, loud enough so the sharp ears of the Eyeless would notice her before she returned to her former position. Her hands felt sweaty, but she couldn't give up now. It was time to show that creature she wasn't easy to kill.
Moiraine took a deep breath and tried to empty her mind. Lan had explained to her countless times how Ko'di worked, and it had always reminded her of when she opened herself to Saidar, though she had never perfected it in the way Lan had done. Maybe it was because she had been able to actually touch the One Power while her Warder couldn't.
Now, it seemed enough. She had an assumption where to find her opponent but would only have that one shot. Should she miss… well, the Myrddraal wouldn't wait to give her another chance.
The woman of the Blue Ajah turned the dagger in her hand. Fades were bigger than her, so she had to aim higher if she wanted to kill it.
One step, then she turned around the edge of the rock, pulling the blade up. The shadow turned into a solid creature under her fingers so she could grab its black cloak before burying her weapon within the flesh of the Myrddraal.
The high-pitched scream of a dying creature rang in Moiraine's ears, but she refused to let go. Her opponent wasn't dead yet. A satisfied smile appeared on the Aes Sedai's lips when she saw the struggle of the Fade. It was dangerously wounded and couldn't find the strength to attack Moiraine. She had won!
When she was certain her opponent wouldn't be able to heal that wound, Moiraine pulled out her dagger, though she didn't dare to take her eyes off her enemy. A Myrddraal didn't die right away when it was deadly injured – not even when it lost its head. Those creatures were created to cause maximum damage, so they tried to take their killer with them even in their death dance.
Moiraine watched the death dance of the Myrddraal before her while stepping back slowly. She needed to react quickly should the monster play with her. Was a Fade able to fake a deadly injury? Was it intelligent enough to trick an enemy by pretending they had won before they attacked out of nowhere?
The screams of the dying creature echoed in the Aes Sedai's ears, then it sank to its knees and disappeared into the shadow.
Relief washed over the Cairhien woman. She had done it! She had killed a Myrddraal without the One Power! Maybe there was a way to survive in that world without having Saidar at her fingertips. Now, I need to find Aldieb before Lan and my sisters notice my absence.
But when Moiraine turned around, a blade was drawn over her stomach, and pain spread through her body. Her legs gave in, and she landed on her butt. Trembling, her hand touched the wound while she stared in disbelief at how her tunic got drenched in her sticky blood. How did that happen?!
A movement before her pulled the Aes Sedai's attention to her attacker. With big eyes, she recognized a Myrddraal walking toward her. Its poisonous blade glistened in the moonlight, covered with her blood. Had there been two Fades? Had they played her? Or was it the one she had stabbed? She couldn't tell.
Quickly, Moiraine tried to crawl backward out of the creature's reach, but the poison moved through her veins until she was barely able to move. Her arms felt so heavy, and the Myrddraal followed her calmly, the point of the blade aiming at her chest.
When the woman of the Blue Ajah felt a rock in her back, she stopped. She couldn't keep going. The poison in her veins was already working. There was no way she could outrun that creature again.
Heavily breathing, she looked up at her killer. She wouldn't beg for her life. She wouldn't. After all, she was still a Damodred and they didn't die begging.
The Myrddraal lifted the blade above its head. Would it end her life quickly or would it let her suffer? Would she die slowly, feeling the poison running through her veins until her heart stopped beating?
A picture of Lan appeared before Moiraine's eyes and her heart ached painfully. Would he feel her death? Their bond was masked and she hadn't felt him in months. But would he feel the death of his Aes Sedai? Would he try to kill himself – like Stepin had – or would the blow be softened because of the masked bond?
Please, don't let him feel a thing. Let him think that I ran off, leaving him behind. When Alanna arrives, he will find a new purpose with Nynaeve.
The blade glistened in the moonlight. Forgive me, Lan.
A movement to her left caught Moiraine's eye. A shadow jumped at the Myrddraal, slashing its back, then she heard Lan's voice. Her Warder had arrived!
The Fade screamed in pain and turned toward the new threat, but Lan was faster. He used a rock to get himself up in the air, then his blade cut through the air. In the next moment, the head of the creature was separated from the body, and it dropped to the ground.
But Moiraine only had eyes for Lan. Smoothly, the Malkieri landed on his feet before his eyes found her. And since the man wasn't blind, he immediately noticed the giant blood stain on her tunic. Anger moved over his handsome face. Moiraine had no doubt he knew what had caused the injury.
Would he yell at her? Would he scold her for leaving without telling him? She actually didn't have a plan for how to deal with him. The Aes Sedai hadn't thought her Warder would be able to follow her. How did he get there so fast?
Again, Lan surprised her. Instead of yelling at her, he pushed his blade into the ground and kneeled beside her. His hand reached out, aiming for her belly to examine the damage.
The Cairhien woman moved her hand so he could have a better look. She felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Lan had followed her! He had protected her! A part of her wanted to hug him, holding him as close to her as possible.
That wonderful man had been pissed at her, and she had been so sure that he had enough of her cold behavior. Yet, he had noticed her absence and followed her through the night.
Moiraine hissed when a new wave of pain rolled over her. She would need her sister's help if she wanted to survive tonight. Great. I can't wait for that conversation.
The uncrowned king of Malkier looked worried when he heard her hissing, and his touch became even more gentler, afraid he would hurt her. But there wasn't just worry in his eyes. The Aes Sedai knew her Warder well enough to know when he was scared.
And Lan was no idiot. He knew how poisonous a blade of the Shadowspawn was. Was he thinking about the Trolloc attack in the Two Rivers? Was he reminded of how close she had been to death back then? It had been Kerene who had healed her, though she already would have been dead without Nynaeve's herbs. The young Wisdom from the Two Rivers was also responsible that she was still breathing.
Exhausted, Moiraine let her eyes wander over the landing. She didn't have the energy to continue with her plan. Her plan was screwed. She wouldn't go anywhere with such a heavy injury except back to Tifan's Well. Light, would she ever get such an opportunity again?
Suddenly, the Cairhien woman noticed a movement in the shadows on the opposite side of the landing. No, please! This can't be true!
"Lan," Moiraine said in a worried tone, grabbing his arm.
At the same time, two more Fades emerged from the shadow. Two! For a moment, Moiraine was tempted to yell at Lan to run. It was hard to fight one Myrddraal, but TWO?! Fear took hold of Moiraine's heart. There was no way, her Warder could survive that fight.
But it looked like the Malkieri had already decided. He freed his arm from her grip and pressed her hand back on her wound. Panic rolled over the woman of the Blue Ajah when she understood what her Warder was doing. He intended to fight those creatures! She couldn't let that happen! That plan was suicide!
Her mouth opened, yet no word crossed her lips. Light, she had to stop Lan! If she could pull the attention of the Eyeless on her, he could run and save himself!
The Cairhien woman wet her lips, but before one word left her lips, the Malkieri squeezed her hand gently, then let go of her, turned toward the enemy, and placed his sword under the dead Fade's sword.
Moiraine didn't like the sight of Lan getting back on his feet with a sword in each hand, ready to fight the Shadowspawn. That man wouldn't back down no matter what she said to him. How could she save him? How could she send him back to Tifan's Well? Verin and Adeleas could protect him.
The fight began, and the Aes Sedai winced at every move that was aimed at her brave Warder. She had to help him! Instead, she was damned to watch and suffer. How long would it take until Lan lay dead on the ground?
Tears built up in her eyes, and the scene before her became a blur. Run, Lan! Run away!
Next week we will see how Lan reacts after realizing his Aes Sedai had left Tifan's Well without him.
The next story will be uploaded on Sunday.
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